Trying to get to the bottom of what, if anything, students sign to promise non-disclosure of Pearson’s exam content, I was pointed towards this form…

I have so many questions, such as does a parent signing this legally bind their child to the agreement? And what if a parent is not able to read and comprehend that contract? Do parents really understand fully what they are signing? Does every student/parent get a copy of the PTE Test Taker handbook to peruse? … and so on.

But what I want to ask most of all is this…

What the heck are Pearson collecting fingerprints and palm-vein scans for?!

It’s for people wishing to get into American universities (among other things). When I was at uni (many years ago) a graduate student off to do a PhD at an American university had to take the English as a foreign language test. They didn’t consider our English English. Hopefully things have changed, if not, that’s the test NZers will be taking to get into Harvard etc.

Pearson’s PTE exam is for non-native speakers of English to show their proficiency in English for admission to universities in English speaking countries and also in some countries for visa applications. The need for confirmation of identity is due to the high stakes associated with this exam’s use. I think most people would understand the need for heightened security given the purpose of the exam.

This is for older teens and adults. This is not given to students in American schools.